Pocono residents in the dark feel powerless

Sunday

Nov 4, 2012 at 12:01 AM

Several Pocono residents who were still without electricity on Saturday said that they were growing weary of having to deal with all the hardships that living without juice posed. But there were signs that overall conditions were improving.

CHAD SMITH

Several Pocono residents who were still without electricity on Saturday said that they were growing weary of having to deal with all the hardships that living without juice posed. But there were signs that overall conditions were improving.

Larry Parisi, who lives on Old Route 115 in Ross Township and has been without power since 5:30 p.m. Monday, has been keeping his house warm with a portable propane heater that's really meant to be used in a garage. He has to continually ventilate his house so the carbon monoxide emitted by the heater doesn't build up.

"I was prepared to live like this for two, three days. But we're going on a week now," Parisi said.

Over at the Sunoco station right by Parisi's home, employee Joanne Torres said people continue to stream into the station's quick mart, looking for water and coffee.

"I've seen outages before, but nothing like this," Torres said.

The Saylorsburg post office was without power and had to turn customers away.

But even though outages were still making life difficult Saturday, conditions were improving. The number of Poconos residents without power Saturday evening was about 20,300, down from about 31,000 on Friday.

East Stroudsburg Superintendent Sharon Laverdure said the district plans to hold classes Monday, as long as roads are passable. The district will have shower facilities and serve a hot breakfast and lunch.

If parents can't get their children to bus stops, students will be excused for the day.

Dan Dougherty, a manager at the county's emergency operations center in Snydersville, said the center was receiving fewer calls from residents Saturday.

"If you would have come here earlier in the week, you would have heard the phones ringing off the hook. It's not like that anymore," Dougherty said.

The center was still supplying water and ready to eat meals to all the county's municipalities.

According to the American Red Cross, fewer people are using local shelters. The Pocono Mountain West High School shelter was closed Saturday night. The East Stroudsburg University shelter is still open, but it's housing fewer people as the days go on.

The warming station at Pleasant Valley Middle School helped about 60 people Saturday, a decrease from other days.

Still, things aren't perfect. Many residents said that they have never heard of being without electricity for such an extended period of time.

Sean, a resident of Stroud Township who has lived in the Poconos for about 20 years, said that he and his family had to rent a motel so they could take showers and have heat. "But the bills are just getting absurd," he said.

"It's just so frustrating because (the electric company) just won't give you a firm idea of when the power is supposed to go back on. They just give you this mollifying, soothing spiel. It's crazy."

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.